FC Barcelona, one of the biggest clubs in the football world, is auctioning NFTs “based on some of the club’s historical moments”. Details are scarce for now, but it looks like the club will allow fans to bid for featured clips in a style similar to NBA Top Shot. Transactions will be handled through Ownix, a new Ethereum-based marketplace that will offer auctions for various categories of digital assets. The company says the Barcelona NFTs will be selected by a “special joint committee” and then released first as unique one-off auctions and then as a limited edition or collectible. Revealed with this announcement, Ownix currently has an assortment of items for purchase, including some Squid Game and Batman-themed fan art.
Barcelona’s decision to start selling NFT is important for getting out of the debt crisis that the club is currently in. The famous club has recently reported a debt of approximately 1.56 billion dollars. The club’s previous management is later accused of spending high fees on underperforming players.
This summer, the club was forced into a quick sale, unable to retain one of the most successful players in the world, Lionel Messi, due to rules about how big the payroll can be. The fact that NFTs have the ability to basically monetize the club’s past means it’s the kind of financial opportunity a club like Barcelona can’t turn down right now.